In Case You Missed It – May 1, 2025

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Commentary: Could this be the longest conclave in modern history?

[A]t the time of writing, users of the betting website Polymarket had staked over $10,000,000 on the identity of the next pope, but only $300,000 on the date of his election. Yet I believe that the most striking feature of this year’s conclave – the one that historians will remember – could well be that it lasts a very long time.

Read more at the Catholic Herald

Cardinal Müller says next pope must stand up to ‘gay lobby’

Cdl. Gerhard Ludwig Müller, a German cardinal said the next pope needs to be “strong on doctrine” and “determined to stand up to ideological lobbies, including the gay lobby.”

He called for a return to “orthodoxy, doctrine founded on Scripture and apostolic tradition, and against heresy.”

Read more at The Telegraph

Backer of Parolin attacks Francis push for lay governance involvement in Church governance

Cardinal Stella stunned cardinals when “he openly attacked Francis” for “bypassing the long-standing tradition of the church” that linked the church governance to holy orders. Francis “instead imposed his own ideas” by opening Curia to laity.

Read more at America Magazine and @RichRaho on X

Catholics demand Vatican ‘reveal and repeal’ secretive China deal

A coalition of Catholics is calling on Church leaders to ‘reveal and repeal’ the ‘appalling’ China deal which allows Chinese communist authorities to appoint bishops within the country.

Read more at LifeSite

China names two new bishops – without Vatican approval 

Chinese authorities have announced the “election” of two new Catholic bishops, without waiting for papal approval. Sources told AsiaNews that in Shanghai priests along with representatives of the nuns and lay people were summoned to ratify the choice of a new auxiliary bishop, on April 28. Fr. Wu Jianlin, the current vicar general, was picked with only a handful of votes against. The same process happened April 29 in the Diocese of Xinxiang ratifying Fr. Li Janlin.

Read more at Asia News and Catholic Culture

Parolin's star falls, spotlight on synodality

On the day after Pope Francis' funeral, Cardinal Pietro Parolin celebrated a Mass for some 200,000 young people in St. Peter's Square, where he said the late pontiff's legacy of mercy must live on in the church. ... It was a spotlight moment for someone considered one of the top contenders to succeed Francis ... But according to multiple cardinals now gathered in Rome for meetings ahead of next week's papal conclave, Parolin is said to have failed the audition.

Read more at the National Catholic Reporter

Parolin may not be China’s preferred conclave candidate

It has begun to appear that China could be laying the groundwork to throttle back a Parolin candidacy — in favor of another papabile.

The Chinese government has, to put it mildly, an active interest in world affairs and geopolitics. It has long understood the importance of diplomatic and strategic inflection points, and it has long enjoyed the reputation for the calculated application of pressure.

Read more at The Pillar

30 Pro-Life Groups Ask Trump to Take Action Against Abortion Pill

CatholicVote joined a coalition of over 30 pro-life organizations Tuesday in urging the Trump administration to evaluate the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of the abortion drug mifepristone, immediately following the release of a new study revealing serious health risks.

Read more at LifeNews.com

Trump Holds Cabinet Meeting After Marking 100 Days In Office

President Trump on Wednesday morning will hold a Cabinet meeting at the White House after marking his first 100 days back in office.

Watch full meeting on YouTube

Short video highlights of the above Cabinet meeting

Scott Turner leads off meeting with prayer

Pete Hegseth reports on "recruiting renaissance"

JD Vance sends fiery message to media for "fake BS," ignoring increased recruitment

Marco Rubio slays media for foreign policy question

Robert F Kennedy Jr reports on progress of "making America healthy again"

Elon Musk jokes about "wearing many hats"

Today President Trump Participates in National Day of Prayer Event

The president acknowledged national religious leaders including Bishop Barron, joked about Cdl. Dolan missing the prayer event in lieu of the papal conclave, spoke to the suffering of hostages and prayed ...

View entire event at C-SPAN

Short highlight of National Day of Prayer

At the White House National Day of Prayer event, President Trump honored the power of prayer by quoting a letter from John Adams to his wife: “MILLIONS will be upon their knees at once before their great Creator, imploring His forgiveness and blessing.”

Watch at CatholicVote on X

Bishop Robert Barron appointed to the White House Religious Liberty Commission 

President Donald Trump signed an executive order today establishing a Religious Liberty Commission during the National Day of Prayer event in the White House Rose Garden. Bishop Barron has been appointed to this Religious Liberty Commission. 

Read more at The Daily Wire, first reporting on the new EO

Senate Committee Confirms Pro-Life Leader as Trump’s Vatican Ambassador

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted April 30 to advance the nomination of CatholicVote President Brian Burch as US Ambassador to the Holy See. The committee voted 12–10 to approve Burch’s nomination, advancing it to the full Senate for consideration. ...

The committee had been scheduled to vote on the nomination earlier in [today], but the meeting was delayed after several Democratic senators failed to appear.

Read more at LifeNews.com

White House Issues Warning to Democrats Promoting ‘Barbaric’ Child Sex Changes

The Department of Justice is fighting child abuse in American schools in the form of radical gender ideology, said White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller at a press briefing on Thursday.

“It is child abuse to change a child’s gender, particularly if you do not inform the parent,” Miller said. “So, if there was a five-year-old or a six-year-old that goes to school, or a seven-year-old that goes to school, and the teacher tries to ‘turn’ the boy into a girl and a girl into a boy, that is child abuse, and this administration is treating that as child abuse and as a gross violation of parental rights.”

Read more at The Daily Signal

May is Mary's Month: Commentary from Fr. R. Vierling

It is often said that May is the most beautiful month of the year. The flowers are in full bloom, the weather is mild, and the first fruits of the soil are beginning to reward man's labour. It is fitting that we should dedicate to Mary the most beautiful month of the year, for she is the most beautiful of God's creatures. ...

Read more at @father_rmv on X

Editor's note:

HOW SOULS AND LIBERTY WILL MOVE FORWARD THE NEXT FOUR YEARS

There can be no doubt we have witnessed an extraordinary moment in the history of the United States and the world. The election of Donald Trump to a second Presidential term is a great victory for Christian patriots, but it is not a complete or final victory. Rather, it is a reprieve from the ceaseless assaults on life, liberty and faith we have had to endure for four years.

Donald Trump is president once again, and his decisions, Cabinet selections, and force of personality are shaping the United States and the world in ways we could only dream of.

We have a Heaven-sent opportunity to step up and ensure this victory is not merely a one-off, but the first of many and the foundation of a lasting legacy of patriotic, Christian, pro-family policies.

Souls and Liberty will be part of that effort, but we cannot do it without you. It will require reporting and activism that YOU can be a part of.

Can you step up and support us? Just once – a one-time donation is very valuable. Or, better yet, support us every month with a recurring donation. Thank you, and may God bless you.

Stephen Wynne

Editor-in-Chief, Souls and Liberty